LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Friday decided to ensure environment compliance in the food and beverages sector to tackle the triple planetary crisis -- climate change, air pollution and biodiversity loss.

In addition to the world economic crisis, the environmental threats have also enveloped the planet which are even greater challenges than the fiscal issues.

Keeping in view the pace of the first world that has greener and healthier environment, Punjab has stepped up efforts to lead the efforts to achieve United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.

In this connection, the authority conducted a scientific panel meeting at its headquarters, which concluded with a resolve that the province shall initiate this healthy transition with four per cent conversion to recycled food grade packaging in the beverages sector initially.

By implementing UN SDGs in letter and spirit, the PFA shall pave the way for implementing 50pc transition to recycled PET in beverages industry by the 2030, PFA Director General Raja Jahangir Anwar told this scribe.

Currently, the beverages industry’s reliance on plastic is not only hazardous, but its routine consumption on a daily basis leaves the climate polluted by millions of used bottles. If no concrete steps are taken today, it will eventually result in another calamity, he added.

A dedicated and state-of-the-art testing facility is also in the offing; he said, adding that once established the laboratory shall actually render food grade beverages and food container checking services in Punjab and other parts of the country.

For now, the PFA will analyse its technical aspects and conduct laboratory tests of PET bottles quarterly. The beverages industry shall submit lab test reports of their PET stock to the regulatory body to ensure that the material is safe for human consumption and the environment at the same time, he said .

The move shall ultimately be a source of bringing foreign exchange through export of recycled bottles to the relevant markets. This is first of its kind intervention from a government entity that has created an enabling environment for the bottle manufacturers and beverages industry.

The PFA is all set for a greener Punjab and the industry is provisionally allowed to use recycled PET and obligated to submit the batch-wise migration report of recycled plastic bottles to the authority. This initial provisional approval is for one-year time.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2023